Duilintinn
Duilintinn is a country in the continent of Tirónar. Name Origin In the Feadhainn Language, "Duil" (pronounced similarly to “duel” or “tool”) translates roughly to hope, desire, want, or need, while "Intinn" (pronounced “in-chin” or sometimes “in-sen” apparently) translates roughly to mentality, will, spirit, or mind. Therefore, The Kingdom of Duilintinn roughly translates to mean “The Kingdom of Hope Mentality” or “The Kingdom of Desiring Spirit,” which is the closest I could get to Positive Mental Attitude. History Feadhainn Era Occupation Era Interim Years Modern Duilintinn Government Politics See More: Noble Houses Duilintinn is ruled by a bureaucratic monarchy. The current king is King Sean McLoughlin (Novel: King Sean Carthaigh). The king's court and the national bureaucracy is centered in Cordoire. The primary job of the national government is providing the necessary resources for the regional governments of the five Noble Houses, mediating between inter-house affairs, and managing foreign policy. Duilintinn's domestic and economic policies are handled by the five regional Noble Houses. Each noble house has an embassy in Cordoire and the capitals of the other noble houses. This allows them to provide resources to people who are a part of their house, but living in other houses. Basically, the exact same reason why we have embassies in the real world! Law Duilintinn has an unspecified criminal justice system that enforces the laws of the land. Punishments for lawbreaking include imprisonment, fines, community service work, and eventually, for the absolute worst of criminals, banishment. Most law enforcement is carried out by members of the Guard Coalition in some way, though this has never been fully explained. Regions, Counties, and Districts Duilintinn is divided between five Noble Houses: * House Jackie (Novel: House Will) * House Marvin (Novel: House Mórail) * House Schneeplestein (Novel: House Varras) * House Brody (Novel: House Bromden) * House Jameson (Novel: House Partch) Geography Landscape and Rivers Geographically, Duilintinn includes the entire region of eastern Tirónar flanked by the Northern Mountains, Southern Mountains, Western Forest, and Eastern Sea. It is directly bordered to the north by Haneul, the south by Tandeli. While the Western Forest is technically unclaimed territory, the enigmatic nomadic groups of Fasithe wander the depths of the forest far beyond Duilintinn's borders. The uncharted and unclaimed territory between Duilintinn and Fasithe is currently occupied by The Enemy and his forces. Duilintinn's landscape is extremely varied. Along the northern border are craggy, mineral-rich mountains mined for metals. In the south, the mountains rise more gradually, rising and falling in steep, grassy slopes before finally rising far above where any grass can grow. Between these two mountain regions, Duilintinn has three distinct landscapes. From the east coast to the Beinnfaire Ridge, the chalky, low-elevation landscape is mostly flat and treeless, with the Cuartalan Wetlands in the north and Iolla Cliffs jutting out over the south. In the center of Duilintinn, the Beinnfaire Ridge rises into the arid Monaidh Plains. In the westmost region of Duilintinn, the elevation drops dramatically into the swampy Draoidh Valley, before rising slightly again into the Western Forest. Duilintinn has five major rivers: The Guardian River, Pa'Gille River, Airceann River, Agrona River, Rúnach River, and Gáire River. The former three flow into the Eastern Sea, while the latter three flow into the large inland lake of Loch Glas. Duilintinn only has one major port city, Fionport, located on the large coastal bay of Loch Domhainn. Climate Duilintinn has a continental climate, with varying levels of precipitation depending on the region. Precipitation is fairly consistent near the mountains, while the central plains are comparatively arid. Seasons vary between two extremes, with cold, stormy winters of heavy snow and hot summers that are either very dry or very humid, depending on the region. The mountain regions have slightly milder summers, but the humidity makes the weather feel equally oppressive. Major Cities Economy See More: Guilds Duilintinn's economic system is a combination of inter-house trade, various national guilds, and a standardized currency system. While there is a diversity of occupations in all regions of Duilintinn, each Noble House specializes in producing large amounts of specific goods and services, using guilds and government-sponsored programs to incentivize the pursuit of these occupations in the region. Individuals who produce some sort of product have two options. Either they can sell their goods to the government of their Noble House at a reasonable price, or they can attempt to make more profits by selling their wares on their own. The benefit of selling to the government is consistency and convenience; they’ll pick it up for you and will always buy whatever you are willing to sell. The benefit of selling on your own is independence and the ability to haggle out your prices for a better profit. A portion of the goods sold to the government of each Noble House is given to Cordoire as a form of taxation. After this, the five Noble Houses trade these goods between their governments. At the end of this process, each governing body (including that of Cordoire) has a large supply of goods from all corners of Duilintinn. With the help of the Merchants' Guild, the government then acts as a resupply warehouse, where people who run general stores will purchase these goods in bulk and sell them in their area of residence for a profit. This ensures that every area of the kingdom has a variety of goods necessary to function as a society. Agriculture The vast majority of Duilintinn's agricultural output occurs in House Brody. However, small, self-sustaining farms (crops and livestock) exist in all parts of the kingdom, usually cultivated by farmers who, for whatever reason, decided they wanted to live in another Noble House. This allows the local towns to have a more immediate supply of food to supplement the supplies from House Brody. Root vegetables will grow almost anywhere and are the most common crop for farmers trying to grow a little extra food. Science and Technology The scientific center of Duilintinn is Fionport, House Schneeplestein, home of the Scholars' College, Lifeworker Institute, and Keepers of Memory guild hubs. The technological center of Duilintinn is Monacoil, House Marvin, home of the Inventors' Guild hub. Duil industry mostly uses hydraulic water wheels, livestock, or simple manpower to power the various tools and machines used to produce goods and services. Within the last three decades, steam power and clockwork have also risen in technological popularity among inventors, though these techniques have yet to enter mainstream use. Duilintinn is aware of the use of pólvora (i.e. gunpowder) in Tandeli, but it's considered too dangerous, uncontrollable, and generally redundant to use in a kingdom with so many mages. Transportation Duilintinn has fairly well-maintained roads, usually made of brick. Bricks are relatively easy to make, can pave roads and keep dust and mud from ending up in sidewalks, drain easily, and don’t wear down or get stuck in hooves. They do have to be maintained on wet areas, where dirt sweeps through the cracks and causes the road to cave, but that’s easy to fix. However, certain areas have different materials for their roads. Cities and towns with well-preserved architecture from the Feadhain Era and Waldren Occupation have precise stonework for their roads. In rural regions of the dry Monaidh Plains, there are long stretches of roads simply made of firm, packed dirt. Cobblestone is sometimes used in towns close to rivers, which make rounded stones easy to find and eliminate the need to make bricks. And, of course, some extremely rural towns across Duilintinn still have mud roads. Most travel throughout the interior of Duilintinn is done on horseback. However, aquatic travel is also used in specific places. The Loch Glas crossing between Monacoil and Athglen is one of the most commonly used ways to enter and exit the Draoidh Valley. Members of The Watch often travel between the Iolla Beacon Outpost and Domhainn Outlook Outpost by boat, rather than take the longer route by land. The Guardian River is sometimes used to transport goods across the Monaidh Plains, though the adjacent road is used far more often. Demography Population See More: Duil Population Duilintinn has an incredibly large population for a country of its size. There were about 23 million people living in Duilintinn by the end of 1614, and that number is still growing due to high immigration rates. The population is very young, with the majority of citizens under 50 years old. The kingdom is very ethnically and culturally diverse due to immigration trends in the last century. Language See More: Duil Colloquialisms The most common language spoken in Duilintinn is the Common Tongue. There are three accents of this language spoken in Duilintinn: a Feadhainn accent, a Waldren accent, and a "default" accent that doesn't sound like either. The Feadhainn accent sounds vaguely Irish and mostly is found west of the Guardian River, while the Waldren accent sounds like a stereotypical "posh" British accent and is mostly found east of the Guardian River. The Feadhainn Language, which originated in the Draoidh Valley and Monaidh Plains, has been mostly forgotten. Until recently, it has only been preserved through the names of locations and a few culturally significant phrases passed down through the generations. However, groups of historians have begun to uncover old texts that seem to be in Feadhainn and are attempting to revive the script and language through these discoveries. Duilintinn has had a form of universal sign language since its founding. While it is used throughout the kingdom, it is extremely common among members of The Watch, who use it during their operations. Religion Duilintinn does not have a single official religion. To them, religion is just like any other institution where one might find their place in the world (i.e. guild, occupation, family, crew, etc.) and doesn't have any political weight beyond that fact. Religious structures like temples, churches, mosques, etc. are community-led, not government built. If you have a large population of a certain religious/spiritual belief in your town, they will probably have built some sort of structure for their religious services/practices. A belief system with fewer followers will likely only have a small shrine, or perhaps meet in a place that is also used for other things (community center, someone’s home, etc). Sometimes, multiple religious groups will collaborate to build a shared space for people of any religion to use in peace. The Watch has applied this idea to its outposts and garrisons, which each feature a quiet, open space that anyone can use to practice their beliefs. Education See Also: Duil Education Duilintinn's education system features a semi-mandatory period of public schooling until age 15. Higher education is provided through apprenticeships and other opportunities through guilds and independent mentors. Healthcare See More: Duil Healthcare The healthcare system in Duilintinn is run by the Noble Houses, which ensure that everyone has access to at least a doctor in their town. On a more intensive level, the Lifeworker Institute trains and creates hospitals across Duilintinn, most notably the Iolla Sanitariums. Communication Duilintinn places significant cultural value upon the role of messengers in Duil society, similar to the way other cultures place significance on offering up one's home to those in need of shelter. Instead of offering a place to stay, Duil culture is adamant about ensuring that everyone can keep in communication with the people who are important to them. As a result, happily delivering the messages of others is a cultural aspect of hospitality you’ll find across the kingdom. Tavern Drop-Off Many local taverns have a place where you can leave anything you need to be delivered. Travelers passing through will collect any letters that they can deliver on their way to their destination. People who receive a letter from said travelers are expected to give them a few coins for their trouble. While there will always be people who can’t or won’t pay, the same aspect of cultural hospitality that pushes people to deliver these letters also pushes people to compensate them. Many who can’t afford to give a coin or two will give the traveler a meal or place to rest instead. Career Runners While finding a traveler to deliver messages is convenient and simple, it’s not the most reliable system. For packages or urgent messages, you probably want to find someone who delivers messages for their job. "Career Runners," as these messengers are called, are usually members of the Wander Legacy guild. They are more expensive than sending a message with a passing traveler, but far more reliable. When hiring a career runner, the usual practice is to place the payment inside of the package or message, sealed by a unique wax seal. All of this is done in front of the runner and another witness. The recipient will open the seal upon delivery and give the payment to the runner. If they find the seal broken, it’s considered theft. If the runner can give suitable evidence that the seal was broken by accident on the way, they won’t be convicted of a crime, but their reputation as a career runner will still be damaged. Career Running has existed long before Duilintinn's founding, and in the past, it was considered a form of "unskilled labor." As a result, career runners are very concerned with their reputation to deliver things quickly and safely to this day. However, most people today respect career runners as an important part of Duilintinn's economy and culture, to the point where large population centers will often contract career runners to deliver large batches of letters and parcels. Watch Delivery Since the creation of The Watch and its network of outposts, garrisons, and messengers, it's become common practice for citizens to leave messages at these outposts for delivery. While The Watch only delivers letters (packages will slow down the messengers), this is one of the cheapest delivery methods in Duilintinn to date. During their regular duties, messengers of The Watch will deliver these messages for free to whatever outpost or garrison is closest to the delivery location, at which point, as per usual, they're picked up from the local tavern for the last leg of their journey. As this method of message delivery becomes more common, many towns have begun to send someone on a regular basis to check for any letters for them at the nearest outpost. As a result, The Watch has accidentally evolved into Duilintinn's closest thing to a post office. Raven Messages The fastest way by far to send a message in Duilintinn is through a raven. While these birds can only carry extremely short messages, they are incredibly reliable if well trained and are perfect for sending emergency alerts. Every major city and Watch settlement in Duilintinn has a Messenger Tower with a rookery at the top for this exact purpose, with some smaller towns also following suit. Literacy Aids Not everyone in Duilintinn is literate, but that doesn't stop them from participating in Duilintinn's interconnected culture. Town Criers are bards who, rather than travel, read the declarations on local message boards aloud to the public at specific times each day. Similarly, messengers who want to settle down in a single town might offer their services as transcribers and private letter readers. Since most messengers (especially career runners) are extremely protective over their reputation and trustworthiness, most people can trust them to maintain confidentiality when reading/writing about their personal business. At times, a messenger who's simply passing through a town might offer similar services until their departure, but most people prefer the additional accountability that comes from recruiting someone local. Culture Architecture See More: Duil Architecture Duilintinn features several distinct styles of architecture. White bricks of stone and red tile roofs are common in the east due to the influence of Waldren. The ancient grey stonework of Feadhainn is more often found in the west. In the Southern Mountains, architectural styles can range from cozy log cabins to bumpy walls of uneven, multicolored cobblestone. Attire Duilintinn is such a culturally and geologically diverse kingdom that there is rarely any singular fashion trend that its people are known for. Depending on where you live or what you do for a living, you'd find certain materials and styles more practical. However, there are a few generalizations that can be made. Wool is the most commonly used fabric, due to the ease of raising sheep in both the mountainous and flat regions of the kingdom. Duil attire is often very colorful, thanks to the variety of herbs that thrive in the region and provide easy access to dying materials for both the rich and poor. Colorful tattoos are also common. Simple jewelry made from plain metals and embedded with colorful rocks is worn by all social classes, while jewelry crafted from precious metals and/or adorned with rare stones is considered a luxury. While coloring or decorating enchantments are rarely used to enhance casual attire, they are in high demand for special events. Enchantments aren’t very practical for your everyday clothing, since the effect would eventually wear off, especially if you take the article of clothing somewhere further away from the mage who cast the enchantment. However, for special events like weddings, hiring a mage to enchant colors and decorations onto your clothing is often more affordable than getting a tailor, especially if you probably won’t wear the outfit a second time. Usually, these enchantments are done the day of the event, which the mage will attend in order to ensure that the enchantments don’t fade too quickly. For simple jobs, some mages will consider the meal they receive at the event as payment enough, while others might ask for additional compensation for the time and effort it took up to cast the enchantment and remain nearby. Even so, it’ll still be far cheaper than buying a fancy outfit you only wear once or twice. Certain groups will wear unique styles of clothing. Knights of the Guard Coalition have a very distinct uniform that is assigned to them each year. Mages often own traditional animal-shaped masks after they reach journeyman status, though few wear them on a daily basis. Members of The Watch are given a sturdy green cloak when they join, earning them the slightly derogative nickname "Green Cloaks." And, of course, many religions encourage their observers to wear specific articles of clothing for various reasons. Folklore Most of Duilintinn's folklore centers around Feadhainn oral tradition, which has been passed down through the centuries and evolved into countless variations of these ancient tales. Only the most dedicated scholars of Feadhainn culture can even attempt to distinguish which of these stories were once true accounts of ancient history from simple myths and legends. Common themes in these tales are the mysteries of magic, the inscrutable nature of the Fae Folk (often called "fairies"), the achievements of heroes, and the power of individuality and self-discovery. More recently, tales and legends have begun to spread about The Quest for Duilintinn and the mysteriously absent Noble Lords. Since they are based on more recent events, most of these tales are fairly consistent across Duilintinn. However, with so much uncertainty surrounding the lords' current whereabouts in recent years, many stories have begun to evolve from historical accounts into attempts to fill in the gaps of our knowledge with new legends about these heroes. Cuisine See More: Duil Cuisine Duilintinn is well-known for its culinary tradition of taking relatively bland base ingredients and elevating them through the use of a wide variety of herbs. The most common staples are herb bread, hard cheeses, root vegetables, hunted game. The Arts See More: Duil Music There are a variety of different titles for those who practice the arts in Duilintinn. These titles either denote the goals of the creator or their medium of choice. Some have more than one such title, indicating multiple artistic specialties. * Bards are those who use their preferred medium(s) to spread the tales, legends, and information. * Entertainers are those who use their preferred medium(s) to spread joy and entertainment. * Authors are those who almost exclusively use a written art form. * Artists are those who almost exclusively use a visual art form. * Minstrels are those who almost exclusively use a musical art form. * Performers are those who almost exclusively use a theatrical art form. The artistic center of Duilitinn's culture is located in Noefrach, House Jameson. There are also a variety of guilds pertaining to the creation and preservation of the arts, including the Artisans' Guild, Bards' Guild, Grand Troupe, and Keepers of Memory. Scholarship and Literature There are a variety of different titles for those who pursue scholarly endeavors in Duilintinn. * Archivists and Researchers seek to acquire new information and add it to their collection of existing knowledge. ** An Archivist does this by actively going out into the world, collecting, compiling, and transcribing all records and evidence they can find on their specific interest. ** A Researcher does this by conducting tests and experiments and recording the results. They do not seek to compile the scattered knowledge of others, but to make the discovery themselves. * Scholars and Historians seek to study and understand the discoveries of Archivists and Researchers. ** A Historian is specifically focused on, well, history. Recent history, ancient history, world history, national history, etc. ** A Scholar usually studies multiple fields. A scholar with a specific interest is sometimes called a “Scholar of ______.” * Librarians take all of the books, magical records, or other documents created by the others and share them with the rest of the world. They also ensure that these works are preserved and protected. Celebrations See More: Duil Holidays The majority of Duil celebrations emphasize the cultural value placed upon finding a community and a place in the world. In addition to personal religious holidays and cultural kingdom-wide holidays, Duilintinn celebrates a Trade Season, Hallows' Eve, Name Days, and a host of Marriage traditions. Death and Funerals See More: Death Duil tradition states that the deceased should be buried in an area they frequented and found comfortable during their life, in the hope that the soul will disperse itself into the nearby surroundings and choose to stay there. Prior to the burial, it's customary to have at least one person sitting with the body, offering company to the soul within until it disperses and passes on. However, if the deceased was born before their Name Day, the infant is traditionally buried within a Fae Garden, in the hope that the soul, who never experienced finding their place in the world, will be given that sense of belonging by a member of the Fae. Finally, mummification and other attempts to preserve a corpse for longer than needed to transport the body is extremely taboo in Duilintinn. Successful mummification prevents the soul from leaving the body, leaving it trapped and unable to pass on. In Duilintinn, this is considered a fate worse than death, nearly comparable to being turned into a Living Puppet of The Enemy. Trivia * The geography and climate of Duilintinn is largely based on Northern Italy Category:Locations Category:Messy Page